Hydraulic masonry cutting machine

ABSTRACT

A cutting head including a plurality of individual aligned stone splitting knives piston controlled through a common closed reservoir for enabling an accommodation of the knives to surface irregularities through a pressure equalizing flow of fluid between the knife pistons. Upon a firm seating of all of the knives, the continued introduction of pressure thereto effects, through a series of sliding valves associated with the knife pistons, a locking of each of the knives in its set position until a cutting of the stone is achieved.

United States Patent Inventor Elmer F. Mangis Frankfort, Ind.

July 1 2 l 968 Feb. 2, 1971 E & R Manufacturing Co. Inc. a corporationof Indiana Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee HYDRAULIC MASONRY CUTTINGMACHINE 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 125/23 Int. Cl. B28d 1/32 Field of Search 125/23; 83/(Inquired)[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,453,216 11/1948 Graham125/23 2,768,620 10/1956 Jenkins 125/23 FOREIGN PATENTS 34,082 8/1905Switzerland 125/23 Primary Examiner-Harold D. WhiteheadAttorneys-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson 34 I a L I as i I r08 a4 '92 4 -'.9

| 32 as 9a 26 I00 I0 104 9% I02 I I I I2 I l W-J LWJ HYDRAULIC MASONRYCUTTING MACHINE The instant invention is generally concerned withmasonry or stone cutting apparatus, and more particularly relates to aunique cutting head which is so constructed as to accommodate surfaceirregularities in the unit being cut.

While it is appreciated that stone cutting heads having individuallyadjustable knives for the accommodation of surface irregularities areknow, substantial difficulty is encountered in both adjusting theindividual knives to the irregularities and stabilizing the knivesduring the actual cutting operation. It is to overcome the deficienciesin the known machines that the instant invention has been devised.

Basically, it is a highly significant object of the instant invention toprovide a high speed cutting head wherein the knives are automaticallyboth adjusted so as to accommodate themselves to the surfaceirregularities and locked in their adjusted positions until the cuttingoperation is complete.

Another significant object of the instant invention resides in theprovision of a cutting head which, through the utilization of individualcooperating sections or units, can be easily assembled to any desiredlength.

Furthermore, it is considered to be particularly significant that thecutting head of the instant invention is, notwithstanding its uniquenessof a relatively simple construction easily adapted for mounting withinany appropriate cutting apparatus regardless of the type of powerutilized thereby.

Basically, the apparatus of the instant invention includes a cuttinghead formed of a plurality of oommunicatively interrelated independentsections or units, each of which mounts a cutting knife controlled by afluid pressure responsive piston. Each of the pistons is slidablymounted within a block cylinder comprising a closed system inconjunction with a common reservoir and valve means whereby flow offluid between the individual cylinders and the reservoir can be blockedso as to effect a positive locking of each piston, and thereby theassociated knife, in an adjusted position. The actual adjusted positionsof the knives is achieved through direct engagement with the irregularsurface of the stone to be cut and the resultant pressure equalizingflow of the fluid. Once an engagement of all of the knives is effectedunder equal pressure, the continued application of pressure results in ashifting of the valve means and a positive locking of the knives foreffecting a smooth guided cutting of the stonev These together withother objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparentreside in the details of construction and operation as more fuliyhereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a stone cutting machinewith two cutting heads constructed in accordance with the instantinvention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken substantiallyon a plane passing along line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view through one of the cutting heads takensubstantially on a plane passing along line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the various components of oneof the cutting head sections or units; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic elevational view of the apparatus illustratinggenerally the manner in which the cutting head knives accommodatethemselves to surface irregularities on a stone to be cut.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 1-0is used to generally designate a stone cutting machine incorporating apair of cutting heads 12 constructed in accordance with the instantinvention. These heads 12 are adapted to be mounted within thesupporting frame 14 and operated in much the manner of the headsconventionally provided whereby one head, the lower head in theillustrated embodiment, is fixed to the frame 14 and the other head, theupper head in the illustrated embodiment, is mounted for verticalmovement powered in any appropriate manner such as by a hydraulic ram16. The stone l8, noting FIG. 5, is positioned in overlying relation tothe lower head 12 and the upper head 12 is brought down into forcefulengagement therewith for effecting a splitting or cutting of the stone18. The instant invention differs from the conventional apparatus in theprovision of unique cutting heads which, upon a movement of the cuttingheads 12 relatively toward each other for the accommodation and cuttingof a received stone 18, will automatically conform to irregularitiesappearing in the surfaces of the stone.

Basically, noting FIG. 3 in particular, an assembled one of the cuttingheads 12 includes a series of adjacent cylinder blocks 20, eachslidingly receiving an outwardly projectable piston 22 within a fluidreceiving cylinder chamber 24. Each of the piston receiving chambers 24is communicated with an elongated fluid reservoir 26 by means of arelatively narrow fluid passage 28 extending from the inner end of thechamber. An elongated continuous valve chamber 30 parallels theelongated reservoir 26 between the piston receiving chambers 24 and thereservoir 26, intersecting the communicating fluid passages 28. A seriesof abutting or operatively interconnected valves 32 are slidably mountedwithin the elongated valve chamber 30 and selectively operate so as toopen and close the fluid passages 28.

A stone cutting knife or blade 34 is associated with each piston 22 andretained for longitudinal sliding movement in response to a movement ofthe corresponding piston 22 by a cap or bracket 36. The cap 36 willnormally be constructed in two sections 38 including enlarged bladeembracing and stabilizing outer portions 40 and inner mounting legs orflanges 42. Both of the'bracket sections 38 extend the full length ofthe head 12 and are bolted directly to each of the cylinder blocks 20 bythreaded bolts 44 which extend through the legs or flanges 42 and arethreaded into internally threaded bores formed in the cylinder blocks20. The elongated outer enlarged portions 40 of the cap sections 38 arestabilized and retained in position by a plurality of transverselyextending bolts or threaded rods 46, each one of which passes through avertically elongated slot 48 in a received blade or knife 34. In thismanner. the bolts 46, having enlarged heads 49 on one end thereof andnuts 50 removably threaded on the other end thereof, not only act so asto properly retain the cap sections 38, but also so as to, inconjunction with the slots 48, provide stop means defining the inner andouter limits of the knives 34.

The knives 34 are to be positioned snugly although slidably between thecap sections 38 through an adjustment of the bolts 46 whereby thedesired sliding adjustment of the knives 34 can be effected while stillproviding for the necessary lateral stability required to effect aproper cutting of the stone. In order to maintain the knives 34 free ofdust or stone chips, it is contemplated that full length wipers 52 willbe provided to the opposite sides of the knife 34 in wiping engagementtherewith along the outer extremities of the cap sections 38, suchwipers 52 being retained by appropriate plate-like brackets 54 removablybolted to the cap sections 38 so as to facilitate a replacement of thewipers 52 as needed.

Each of the cylinder blocks 20 is also provided with an annular wiper 56set in an annular recess at the outer end of the cylinder chamber 24 forwiping engagement with the sliding piston 22. In addition, anappropriate O-ring seal 58 is provided about each cylinder block chamber24 in sealing engagement with the moving piston 22.

Each of the valves or valve pistons 32 within the valve chamber 30includes a cylindrical body having a reduced rodlike central portion 60interconnecting enlarged chamber filling rear and forward portions 62and 64. The enlarged forward portion 64 includes a reduced cylindricalleading end 66 which abuts against the flat following end of the valve32 forward thereof. Each of the valves 32 in its normal or at restposition has the reduced rod-like central portion 60 thereof alignedwith the fluid passage 28 between the corresponding cylinder chamber 24and the reservoir whereby a free flow of fluid is permitted as willpossibly be best appreciated from FIG. 2. A fluid chamber 68, in directcommunication with the rear of the reservoir 26, is provided directlybehind and in direct communication with the rearmost valve 32, thisvalve 32 being positioned immediately forward of the fluid chamber 68 byan appropriate relatively small stop block 70 which, while providing aneffective abutment for the rearward movement of the chain of valves 32.exposes a major portion of the flat rear face of the rear valve 32. Theforwardmost valve 32 differs slightly from the remainder of the valves32 through the provision of a forward portion 64 which is of a greaterlength and which is maintained in sealed relation to the elongated valvechamber 30 by means of an appropriate O-ring seal 72. This forwardmostvalve 32 additionally includes a central forwardly projectingcylindrical spring seating rod 74. The expanded coiled compressionspring 76 in turn has the outer end seated within an appropriate cap 78mounted on the inner end of an adjusting screw or bolt 80 which isthreaded through a nut 82 fixed to a housing 84 surrounding the spring76 and spring seating members 74 and 78. As will be appreciated, anadjustment of the screw 80, through the tool receiving outer endthereof, will vary the biasing force of the spring 76 which is used tonormally maintain the valves 32 in their reannost position providing adirect communication between the elongated reservoir 26 and all of thepiston receiving chambers 24.

In use, the head 12 is to include a closed fluid system with the fluid,normally oil, being introduced into the reservoir through one endthereof in a sufficient amount so as to fully extend approximately onethird of the knife controlling pistons 22 when unresisted, after whichan appropriate plug 86 is fixed within the fluid introducing end of thereservoir 26. Thus, in actual operation, as the upper and lower heads 12come together against a received stone 18, the knives 34 associated withthe extended pistons 22 will initially engage the stone and retract inresponse to the pressure developed by engagement with the stone. Thisretraction of the normally extended pistons 22 will, through the closedhydraulic system, result in an extension of the normally retractedpistons 22 until intimate contact is achieved between each of the knivesand the surface of the stone, the knives accommodating themselves to theirregularities in the surfaces of the stone. Once each of the knives 34engages the stone 18 and develops a resistance to the introduction offurther pressure exerting oil into the corresponding piston receivingchamber 24, a continued application of pressure to the head 12 willeffect a pressure buildup in the reservoir 26 which is transferred tothe chamber 68 located immediately rearward of the rearmost valve orvalve piston 32. This buildup of pressure in the chamber 68 results in aforward sliding of the chain of valves 32 against the biasing force ofthe spring 76, thereby effectively sealing the fluid passages 28 andtrapping the fluid within the piston receiving cylinder chambers 24,thereby resulting in a positive locking of the pistons 22 in positionand the corresponding knives 34 into engagement with the stone 18. Thisautomatic locking of the knives 34 in their stone-engaging positions isdeemed particularly significant in insuring that a proper cut orfracture is made along the full length of the stone 18 where desired. Ifthe pistons and knives were not locked in position during the actualsplitting operation, and a free flow of fluid maintained between thevarious chambers 24, once the split is started at the point having thelowest compressive strength, the other knives, bearing on portions ofthe stone with higher compressive strength, would, through the free flowof fluid, cause the knives engaged with the area of the partial split tobury further in at this point, causinga wedging action and eventually across fracture. With all of the knives locked into position through thepressure responsive sliding valves 32, this significant problem of crossfracturing is avoided and a constant cutting pressure is applied alongthe full length of the heads 12. It will of course be appreciated thatthe amount of oil within the system will be such so as to adjust thehead to the particular material being cut, including the degree ofirregularity to be encountered. In use, oil will be added or withdrawnfrom the system until the system is adof the head 12 is the fact thatthe head is formed of individual independent units clamped in sealedabutting side-by-side relation to each other along the full -length ofthe head 12 whereby heads of any desired length can be easily assembled.With particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be appreciated thateach cylinder block 20 is independent of the adjacent cylinder blocksand includes, within itself, both a section 88 of the valve chamber 30and a section 90 of the reservoir 26 which, aligned with similarsections 88 and 90 in the adjacent cylinder blocks 22, define theelongated valve chamber 30 and elongated reservoir 26. An appropriatesealing ring 92 encircles the sections 88 and 90 for abutting sealedengagement against the adjacent cylinder block 20. In addi-' tion, eachcylinder block 20 is of course provided with one of the valves 32 so asto be in effect a self-contained unit. The cylinder blocks 20 are lockedtogether in the formation of the head 12 by four elongated rods 94extending through four aligned holes 96 in the four comer portions ofeach of the cylinder blocks 20, these rods 94 having enlarged bearing"heads 98 on one end thereof and lock nuts 100 threaded on the oppositeends thereof. Appropriate end plates 102 would also be provided at theopposite ends of the head 12 in engagement with the opposed endmostcylinder blocks 20 for assisting in effecting a positive clamping of theblocks together into an integral unit, as well as to provide anappropriate mount for the spring housing 84 and the components used informing the chamber 68. The two sections 38 of the cap 36 are continuousalong the full length of the head 12 and will be formed so as toaccommodate the particular number of cylinder blocks 20 utilized. Theactual bolting of these cap sections 38 to the blocks 20 by the bolts 44further acts to stabilize the blocks 20, as does the bottom or base bar104 on which the cylinder blocks 20 set for locked engagement thereto byappropriate threaded bolts 106 which extend through the bar 104 and arethreaded within internally threaded bores in the blocks 20.

Once the blocks 20 have been locked together in an integral unit, thesystem can be charged with fluid and sealed, thereby v preparing thehead 12 for use as described supra.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

lclaim:

1. An automatically adjustable stone cutting head compris- 1 ing aplurality of independently movable cutting knives, pressure responsiveadjusting means for automatically adjusting said knives to the surfaceof a stone to be cut through a pressure engagement of the knives withthe stone, and pressure responsive locking means for automaticallylocking said knives in an adjusted position through a continuedapplication of pressure on the knives subsequent to the adjustment ofthe knives.

2. The construction of claim 1 wherein said pressure responsiveadjusting means comprises a piston operatively associated with eachknife for the selective adjustment thereof, and a closed fluid systemcommunicating all of the pistons with each other whereby a movement ofone piston will effect a resultant movement in one or more of theremaining pistons until a stabilization of the pistons is achieved.

3. The construction of claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises avalve associated with each piston, each of the valves being selectivelymovable so as to lock the associated A Di ut o cnmmunica inn i h t eremaininn Dams.

4. The construction of claim 3 wherein said valves are spring-loaded toan open position and simultaneously movable to the piston lockingposition.

5. The construction of claim 4 including an elongated fluid reservoirlying along and outward of said valves, fluid passage meanscommunicating said reservoir with each of said pistons, said passagemeans extending through said valves for the control of fluidtherethrough by said valves, said reservoir, aside from said passagemeans communicating with the pistons, being sealed.

6. The construction of claim 5 including a cylinder block slidablymounting each piston and defining a fluid receiving cylinder chambertherefor, each cylinder block being an independent unit incorporating aportion of said reservoir therein and independently mounting. a valve,piston and knife, said cylinder blocks being selectively lockable toadjacent cylinder blocks in a sealed manner providing for the provisionof a continuous reservoir through the adjacent reservoir sections and anoperative engagement between the valves.

7. The construction of claim 6 including a continuous cap overlying saidcylinder blocks and being rigidly afiixed thereto, and means on said capslidably engaging said knives for retaining said knives and providingfor limited guiding movement thereof.

8. An automatically adjustable stone cutting head comprising a pluralityof releasably interlocked sections, each of said sections including acylinder block defining a piston receiving cylinder chamber and a pistonselectively extensible and retractable relative thereto, a cutting knifeengaged with the outer end of said piston for control thereby, a fluidreservoir portion, fluid passage means extending between said reservoirportion and said piston receiving chamber, and a valve interposed insaid passage means for the selective closing thereof, and means forfixing said sections together with the reservoir portions in directfluid passing communication with each other and with the valves inoperative engagement with each other for a simultaneous operationthereof.

9. The construction of claim 8 including an elongated continuous cap andmeans for locking said cap to said sections in limited guiding relationto said knives.

1. An automatically adjustable stone cutting head comprising a pluralityof independently movable cutting knives, pressure responsive adjustingmeans for automatically adjusting said knives to the surface of a stoneto be cut through a pressure engagement of the knives with the stone,and pressure responsive locking means for automatically locking saidknives in an adjusted position through a continued application ofpressure on the knives subsequent to the adjustment of the knives. 2.The construction of claim 1 wherein said pressure responsive adjustingmeans comprises a piston operatively associated with each knife for theselective adjustment thereof, and a closed fluid system communicatingall of the pistons with each other whereby a movement of one piston willeffect a resultant movement in one or more of the remaining pistonsuntil a stabilization of the pistons is achieved.
 3. The construction ofclaim 2 wherein said locking means comprises a valve associated witheach piston, each of the valves being selectively movable so as to lockthe associated piston out of communication with the remaining pistons.4. The construction of claim 3 wherein said valves are spring-loaded toan open position and simultaneously movable to the piston lockingposition.
 5. The construction of claim 4 including an elongated fluidreservoir lying along and outward of said valves, fluid passage meanscommunicating said reservoir with each of said pistons, said passagemeans extending through said valves for the control of fluidtherethrough by said valves, said reservoir, aside from said passagemeans communicating with the pistons, being sealed.
 6. The constructionof claim 5 including a cylinder block slidably mounting each piston anddefining a fluid receiving cylinder chamber therefor, each cylinderblock being an independent unit incorporating a portion of saidreservoir therein and independently mounting a valve, piston and knife,said cylinder blocks being selectively lockable to adjacent cylinderblocks in a sealed manner providing for the provision of a continuousreservoir through the adjacent reservoir sections and an operativeengagement between the valves.
 7. The construction of claim 6 includinga continuous cap overlying said cylinder blocks and being rigidlyaffixed thereto, and means on said cap slidably engaging said knives forretaining said knives and providing for limited guiding movementthereof.
 8. An automatically adjustable stone cutting head comprising aplurality of releasably interlocked sections, each of said sectionsincluding a cylinder block defining a piston receiving cylinder chamberand a piston selectively extensible and retractable relative thereto, acutting knife engaged with the outer end of said piston for controlthereby, a fluid reservoir portion, fluid passage means extendingbetween said reservoir portion and said pistoN receiving chamber, and avalve interposed in said passage means for the selective closingthereof, and means for fixing said sections together with the reservoirportions in direct fluid passing communication with each other and withthe valves in operative engagement with each other for a simultaneousoperation thereof.
 9. The construction of claim 8 including an elongatedcontinuous cap and means for locking said cap to said sections inlimited guiding relation to said knives.